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My story will be much different from most of yours reading this. I'm only posting this to demonstrate body fat percentage and body composition (muscle:fat ratio) is what is visibly noticeable.
All the way through my late 20s, I was a stick. Rail-thin. I was bullied in school. When I went to boot camp, my Drill Instructors made me a "double rations recruit" (make me eat twice as much), but also had to do twice as much exercise as anyone else... while doing PT (physical training), they'd call me to the front of the platoon and do two pushups to every one of everyone else's because even THEY were determined to make me grow. At 135# I was running 3 miles in just under 17 minutes, 46 pull ups, could bust out over 100 situps in 2 minutes. BUT I NEVER GOT BIG doing cardio and calisthenics (aka: HIIT or body-weight exercise).
A decade and a half and a few lazy office jobs later, I started to notice the impossible was happening... I was actually gaining weight... but not in a good way. I'd stopped exercising, but was still eating without restriction. I'd grown to a 36" belly at 180# while my arms and legs were still thin! I was an "ectomorph" or SKINNY-FAT.
I looked normal with my baggy clothes on and everyone always laughed when I said I needed to lose weight, but they weren't seeing what I say in the mirror. THIS WAS WORSE THAN BEING TOO SKINNY!
I got a gym membership and would only go infrequently: no results (obviously). Then I realized the key to success!: Diet! FOOD CONTROLS FAST LOSS; EXERCISE CONTROLS MUSCLE GAINS.
I started on Whole30 which is an "elimination diet" (no sugars, dairy, grains or other potential allergens) and that reset balance in my system. Once finished with the month, I stuck with keto for a couple years and dropped a lot of weight, yet could never get rid of the "pooch" over my waistband.
I did a ton of research on workout routines and got super motivated, but for some reason, I wasn't gaining muscles with all this head-knowledge... oh yeah! That requires working out! So back to the gym I went, but with determination this time.
MY body started shaping up a bit better and I was definitely getting stronger and I'd switched careers to a physical job (which made a HUGE difference). I went with a less restrictive LCHF diet for awhile, but still couldn't lose fat at the same time as add muscle. Then I learned key #2: LOSE FAT, THEN BEGIN BUILDING MUSCLE! I had more muscles growing, they were just pushing against the fat on top which made me look fatter lol.
My final move was when I stopped working out and focused on eating alone because between February and April of this year, while lifting heavy at the gym, I went on GOMAD (Gallon Of Milk A Day - in addition to regular eating) and gained 12# of solid fat. I was SO done with this.
Throughout May/June, I cut back and even stopped the gym and went to a "diet" whose only rules are eat less than you burn. By maintaining a caloric deficit and NO EXERCISE, I have lost my final 10#, am at 10% body fat and never get cravings that cannot be satisfied with portion control or OMADing.
Even with consuming enough protein, I still lost lots of muscle when I stopped working out, but now that I'm back at the gym, and watching the scale needle move up, it will all be muscle as I've finally dialed my metabolism in completely!
It took a long time and lots of learning/experimenting, but I'm feeling good, eating good, lifting good... control what you eat, exercise, and you can achieve the body shape you want: PROVEN! Learn from my mistakes... dieting isn't so much what you eat, but how much. 👍
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1942 kcal
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Fat: 103.47g | Prot: 136.01g | Carbs: 80.37g.
Breakfast: Borden Whipping Cream, Nature's Best Perfect Low Carb Isopure Whey Protein Isolate - Dutch Chocolate, Coffee (Brewed From Grounds). Lunch: LouAna Pure Coconut Oil. Dinner: Red Robin Guacamole Bacon Burger (Full), Guinness Draught Stout Beer, Sunny Farms Jumbo Egg. more...
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2131 kcal
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Exercise:
Resting - 9 hours, Cooking - 15 minutes, Yard Work (gardening) - 30 minutes, Motorcycle Riding - 2 hours and 30 minutes, Washing Car - 15 minutes, Sitting - 2 hours and 30 minutes, Housework - 30 minutes, Showering - 15 minutes, Driving - 1 hour, Grocery Shopping - 30 minutes, Walking (moderate) - 5/kph - 15 minutes, Sleeping - 6 hours, Standing - 30 minutes. more...
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